Auto trunk



Dec. 22, 1931. s, Gl FILLEN 1,837,428

AUTO. TRUNK Filed Oct. 25, 1929 John ,5. czlfzzlen,

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@Mzp. 6 M. I fffiJ-w 22 4 anmmtop Patented Dec. 22, '1931 UNITED STATESJOHN S. GILFILLEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI AUTO TRUNK Application filedOctober 25, 1929. Serial- No. 402,350.

My invention relates to trunks in general and more particularly to thattype which is adapted to be carried on the running board or upon a rackat the rear of an automobile,

and one object is to provide a trunk of this character to the interiorof which access may be more readily had than with trunks having theusual lid hinged to the upper portion of the trunk.

A further object is to provide a trunk of this character with a slidabledoor, so that access may be had to the interior of the trunk withoutdisturbing the spare tire mounted at the rear of the automobile. Anotherobject is to construct the trunk and the door in such manner as toprovide a rain and dustproof joint around the door when the latter is inclosed position- Another object is to provide a trunk with a slidablefalse bottom upon which suitcases or other luggage'may be stacked andslid inwardly or outwardly without becoming scratched or otherwisedamaged as when placed upon or removed from a stationary bottom.

A further object is to provide a trunk which may be manufactured at lowcost, and one which is strong and durable and well adapted for thepurpose intended.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will nowbe had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trunk with the door in closedposition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trunk with the door removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the door in a reverse position tothat disclosed by Fig. 1, to show the rear side of the door.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the trunk on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The main portion of the trunkconsists of a top wall 2, a bottom wall 4,end walls 6 and 8, and a back wall 10. The front portion of the trunk isprovided with vertical and horizontal plates 12 and 14, respectively.The plate 12 is secured to the top, bottom and end walls 2, 4 and 6,respectively, while the plate 14 is secured to the top and end walls 2and 8, respectively, and to the plate 12.

.to' operate. :door 16 to facilitate the opening and closing 1 r 16designates a slidable door for normally closing the opening 18 in thefront portion of the trunk. Said door 16 is provided at its lowerportion with parallel longitudinal flanges 20 and 22whicl1 are spacedapart to admit a rail 24 secured to the front portion of the bottom Wall4 and the rear portion of the plate 12. The upper portion of the door isprovided with a longitudinal flange 26 which operates between thehorizontal plate i 14 and a horizontal rail 28. The rail 28 parallelsthe plate 14 and is secured to the latter and the inner surface of thetop wall 2. One end of the door 16 has a vertical flange 29 and itsopposite end has a vertical flange 3O cXtendingat rightangles to thedoor and adapted tofit in a countersunk portion 32 of the end wall 8.The countersunk portion 32 1s provided near its lower end with a slot 34in which the flange 22 of the door is adapted Handles 36 are secured tothe of the'latter and a stop 37 is secured upon the flange 22 forcontacting the inner surface of the countersunk portion 32 to limit theopening of the door 16.

.38 designates a slidable false bottom mounted on slides 39 in the lowerportion of the trunk and equipped with a handle 40 so that it may beslid inwardly or outwardly with suitcases or other luggage placed uponsaid false bottom. I

With the trunk arranged as shown and described it is apparent that whenthe door 16 is in closed position dust and rain will be excluded fromthe interior of the trunk by the flanges, 20, 22, 26 and 30 on the doorand the plates 12 and 14 on the front portion of the wise damaged by anygrit or other abrasive substance which may accumulate upon said bottomWall 4.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided atrunk embodying the advantages above pointed out, and while I have shownand described one form of the invention I reserve the right to all otherforms and modifications thereof as properly fall Within the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. A trunk having an opening through which access may be had to itsinterior, a horizontally disposed plate interposed beween the top of thetrunk and the top of said opening, an upper horizontally disposed railarranged in the rear of and paralleling said plate, a lower horizontallydisposed rail secured to the trunk at the lower portion of the opening,a slidable door for closing the opening and provided with alongitudinally disposed flange at its upper portion Which is slida'blymounted between the .plate and the upper rail, and longitudinallydisposed flanges at the lower portion of the door and straddling saidlower rail.

2. A trunk having an opening through which access may be had to itsinterior,a vertical plate at one end of said opening, a countersunkportion in the wall of the trunk at the opposite end of the opening, aslidable door for closing said opening, a vertical flange at one end ofsaid door and set backwardly "from the front surface of the latter tofit against the rear surface of the vertical plate when the door inclosed position, and a vertical flange at the opposite end of the doorand extending at right angles to the latter to enter thecountersunkportion when the door is closed.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

JOHN S. GILFI'LLEN.

